Each country has a different stance towards real money online gambling. Some governments have a more relaxed attitude towards many of today’s most socially accepted forms of gambling and have properly legalized and regulated online gambling. Others have a tougher stance and do not permit their citizens to gamble online. The question being asked here is, why would legalizing online gambling help governments and people? Find out more right here.
In what ways could legalizing online gambling help governments and people?
The most obvious benefit of legalizing online gambling at fully licensed websites closely monitored and regulated by local, state and provincial government authorities is the revenue the government would collect from those sites.
The global online gambling industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry, and there are huge amounts of money to be made. In certain countries that haven’t yet legalized all forms of online gambling, people who want to gamble online only have one option: to sign up to foreign-controlled sites that are licensed and operate from outside that country.
Therefore, governments generate zero income from these sites because the operating companies that own the sites pay no taxes to that government. If countries, where gambling hasn’t yet been legalized, were to fully regulate the online gambling industry and start issuing licenses to operators, the governments would instantly start generating huge sums of money via tax revenues. It would be highly beneficial for that state/province/government.
It would also make it safer for players. They would no longer have to search for real money gambling sites that may not be so trustworthy.
Where are today’s best real money gambling sites licensed?
The UK Gambling Commission is classed as a top-tier licensing authority and one of the world’s most heavily regulated gambling jurisdictions. It’s where many of today’s most trusted online casinos, sports betting sites, bingo sites, lottery sites, and poker sites are based.
In fact, it has one of the best legal online gambling frameworks in place that many other countries look to emulate. If you’re based in the UK and looking for a trustworthy site with a secure betting app or casino app, your safest option would be to stick to UK-licensed sites.
Some of the other mid to top-tier licensing authorities where many of the world’s other most trusted gambling sites are licensed are the following:
Curacao eGaming
The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission
Kahnawake Gaming Commission
The Alderney Gambling Control Commission
Gibraltar Regulatory Authority
Malta Gaming Authority
Other trusted licensing authorities/jurisdictions are in New Jersey (the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, or NJDGE), Michigan (Michigan Gaming Control Board), and Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board). You also have several other notable authorities that regulate online gambling and issue licenses in Delaware, Nevada, Curacao, Antigua and Barbuda, Denmark, and Belgium, to name a few.
Real money gambling sites that are based in any of the jurisdictions mentioned above usually rank among the safest and most secure websites in the world. If you’re based in New Jersey, your safest option would be to stick to New Jersey-licensed sites. If you’re based in Michigan, your safest option would be to stick to playing at Michigan-licensed sites, and so on.
This way, should anything happen at the gambling site you have signed up to, you would have the necessary legal backing you are entitled to as a player. Some of the things that could go wrong are perhaps the operator hasn’t come good on a bonus it offered you, or they are taking too long to pay you (which shouldn’t ever happen at a site that’s licensed by a mid to top-tier licensing authority).
The same couldn’t be said if something untoward happened at an offshore casino that’s either unlicensed or has obtained a license from what is referred to as a ‘rubber-stamp’ licensing authority. These authorities carry out little or no checks over their licensees and just issue gambling licenses to anyone with enough money to buy one.
Final note
If an unlicensed online casino that’s licensed by a rubber-stamp licensing authority were refusing to pay you your winnings, you would have little or no legal backing. In other words, it is much safer for players to play at sites that are licensed by reputable state/province/government-controlled licensing authorities in their own jurisdiction, where possible. This will ensure the safest and most enjoyable online gambling experience.
Today’s most trusted operators promote responsible gambling. They have realistic bonus wagering requirements, concise terms and conditions, and fair policies, and they only use licensed software. They would lose their license if they were found to be cheating players in any way.
These sites have their day-to-day operations closely scrutinized by reputable licensing authorities who have issued them with licenses. Unlicensed casino sites are otherwise known as fake casinos, scam casinos, or rogue casinos, and they are the worst kind of online casinos that should be avoided at all costs.